TAG Heuer has announced its return to the New York running scene, becoming the official timing partner for the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon. This sporting event, organized by the non-profit New York Road Runners, spans across all five boroughs of the city and attracts over 50,000 runners each year, with more than two million spectators cheering along the route. It’s celebrated as a hallmark of contemporary urban endurance sports. This year, TAG Heuer not only takes on the timing responsibilities for the entire marathon but also presents the Connected smartwatch, which features professional sports functionalities, as the championship prize. This merges the brand’s watchmaking tradition with technological prowess, embodying the Created for Victory brand philosophy.
Since its inaugural event in 1970, the New York Marathon has evolved from a modest race with just 127 participants to a vibrant stage where elite athletes, novice runners, wheelchair competitors, and community members come together. Starting at the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, the course winds through Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and finishes in Manhattan. The rhythm of the race is woven together by the city streets, the cheers of the crowd, and the footsteps of the runners. This is more than just a race; it’s a moving narrative about perseverance, identity, and the brilliance of humanity.
TAG Heuer’s role goes far beyond just being a supplier of timing devices. During the event week, the brand showcases a series of visual and time layouts, featuring a countdown timer at the marathon expo, official timing clocks at the start and finish lines, standard time display devices on lead cars, and race time clocks positioned along the route. This effort aims to precisely record each runner’s breakthrough moment. It’s not just about enhancing the professionalism of the event; it also echoes the brand’s concept of transforming Critical Moment into a time coordinate.
As a tribute to the outstanding performances in the competition, the champion of the professional category will be awarded a TAG Heuer Connected smartwatch. This timepiece seamlessly blends sports technology with the spirit of Swiss watchmaking, featuring functions such as Global Positioning System (GPS), heart rate monitoring, estimated maximum oxygen consumption (VO₂ max), swimming and hiking tracking, allowing users to deeply analyze their fitness and training performance. This smart watch also inherits TAG Heuer’s aesthetic design language, making it suitable for intense training sessions while effortlessly fitting into everyday styles, enabling every wearer to embody their victorious rhythm.
The brand is launching the “Designed To Win” initiative at this year’s event, embodying its annual spirit. This concept emphasizes the ability to take initiative and create your own rhythm of victory amidst changes and challenges. Regardless of background, age, or physical condition, every runner defines their future at the critical moment they step over the starting line, Kairos. TAG Heuer’s CEO Antoine Pin states: The authenticity and resilience showcased by the TCS New York Marathon align perfectly with our interpretation of pivotal moments, as every runner’s story deserves to be accurately documented..
Christine Burke, the Business Director of the New York Road Runners, shares the same sentiment regarding this value. She pointed out: Every runner embodies the spirit of “Designed To Win” the moment they step onto the starting line. This collaboration not only tracks time but also pays tribute to the courage of the running community. she believes that whether it’s wheelchair athletes, Olympic representatives, or amateur enthusiasts, everyone has been seen and respected because of this event.
TAG Heuer’s involvement goes beyond just the main event; it is also the official partner for the United Airlines NYC Half and the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K, together forming a solid presence for the brand in endurance events on the East Coast of the United States. As a brand that has consistently supported extreme challenges, TAG Heuer has closely collaborated with projects like motorsport, sailing, and triathlons. Each precise timing service is a tribute to the spirit of pushing boundaries and competing against time.
From the moment the race begins to the instant of crossing the finish line, every runner’s stride aligns perfectly with TAG Heuer’s precision. The Connected smartwatch isn’t just sports gear; it represents a commitment to empower individuals to define themselves by time and to seize key moments through persistence.
